India's ancient achievements in Medical Science & Physical Science

Knowledge	Ancient Reference	Modern Reference
Artificial Limb	RigVed (1-116-15)	20th Century
Number of Chromosomes (23)	Mahabharat (5500 BCE)	1890 A.D.
Combination of Male and Female	Shrimad Bhagwat	20th Century
Analysis of Ears	RigVed	Labyrinth
Beginning of the Foetal	Heart Eitereya Upanishad -(6000 BCE)	Robinson, 1972
Parthenogenesis	Mahabharat	20th Century
Test Tube Babies ( from the ovum only) Test Tube Babies ( from the sperm only)	Mahabharat	Not possible yet Not possible yet
Elongation of Life in confirmed Space Travel	Shrimad Bhagwat	Not yet
Cell Division (in 3 layers)	Shrimad Bhagwat	20th Century
Embryology	Eitereya Upanishad (6000 BCE)	19th Century
Micro-organisms	Mahabharat	18th Century
A material producing a disease can prevent or cure the disease in minute quantity	S-Bhagwat (1-5-33)	Haneman, 18th Century
Developing Embyro in Vitro	Mahabharat	20th Century
Life in trees and plants	Mahabharat	Bose, 19th Century
16 Functions of the Brain Eitereya	Upanishad	19th – 20th Century
Definition of Sleep Prashna-Upanishad	Yogsootra Cunavidhi	20th Century
Chromosomes	(Mahabharat)(5500 BCE)	1860 – 1910 A.D.

Knowledge	Ancient Reference	Modern Reference
Velocity of Light	RigVed - Sayan Bhashya (1400 A.D)	19th Century
Trans-Saturnean Planets	Mahabharat (5500 BC)	17-19th Century
Space Travel to another solar system	Shrimad Bhagwat (4000 BC)	Under trials
Gravitational Force (Prashnopanishad)	(6000 B.C) Shankaracharya (500 B.C)	17th Century
Ultraviolet Band	Sudhumravarna - (Mundakopanishad - M.U)	----
Infra-Red Band	Sulohita (M.U)	----
Tachyons faster than light	Manojava (Mundakopanishad) Sudarshan,	1968
Nuclear Energy	Spullingini (Mundakopanishad)	20th Century
Black Holes	Vishvaruchi(Mundakopanishad)	20th Century
Embryology	Eitereya Upanishad (6000 BCE)	19th Century
Monsoon at Summer Solstice	RigVed (23720 B.C)	----
Entry in South America by Aeroplanes	Valmiki Ramayan (7300 B.C)	----
Phosphorescent Trident at the Bay of Pisco, Peru, S.America	Valmiki Ramayan (7300 B.C)	1960 A.D.
Aeroplanes	RigVed,Ramayana,Samarangan Sutradhara (1050 A.D.)	----
Robot	Samarangan Sutradhara (1050 A.D.)	----
Atom (Divisible) & (Indivisible)	Shrimad Bhagwat (4000 B.C.)	1800 A.D.

Indians of note

Rabindranath Tagore,

Poet and writer of India’s national anthem and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913,

(1861­1941):

"Oneness amongst men, the advancement of unity in diversity – this has been the core religion of India.“

Swami Vivekananda,

(1863-1902):

“I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.

We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.

I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.

I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: ‘As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.’ ”  

Sri Aurobindo,

(1872-1950):

“…Like the majority of educated Indians, I have passively accepted without examination, the conclusion of European scholarship.”

“…That we turn always the few distinct truths and the symbols or the particular discipline of a religion into a hard and fast dogmas, is a sign that as yet we are only infants in the spiritual knowledge and are yet far from the science of the Infinite.”

"...The mind is not the highest possible power of consciousness; for mind is not in possession of Truth, but only its ignorant seeker.”

 Mahatma Gandhi

(1869-1948):

 

Gandhi was once asked what he thought about Western Civilization.  His response was: "I think it would be a good idea.”

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.“

“You must not lose faith in humanity.  Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

“The only devils in this world are those running around inside our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought.”

“If all Christians acted like Christ, the whole world would be Christian.”

“Woman, I hold, is the personification of self-sacrifice, but unfortunately today she does not realize what tremendous advantage she has over man.”

“Indians, will stagger humanity without shedding a drop of blood.”

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Guru Tegh Bahadur

(1621-1675):

The Kashmiri Brahmins, who were being persecuted by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, seeked the council of Guru Tegh Bahadur.  The 9th guru of the Sikhs upon hearing of the Brahmins predicament, responded:

 “Unless a holy man lays down his head for the sake of the poor Brahmins, there is no hope for their escape from imperial tyranny.”, his young son reminded him “Revered father, who would be better equipped for this than yourself?”

During Guru Tegh Bahadur’s subsequent imprisonment by Aurangzeb, he spoke out:

 “Hinduism may not be my faith, …but I would fight for the right of all Hindus to live with honour and practice their faith according to their own rites….  “

“All men are created by God and therefore must be free to worship in any manner they like. I neither convert others by force, nor submit to force, to change my faith.”

The enraged Aurangzeb, upon realising Guru Tegh Bahadur would not convert to Islam, ordered his public beheading by the sword. 

His body was left in the dust as no one dared to pick up the body for fear of the emperors reprisal.

Sir C.V. Raman, (1888 – 1970)

1930 - Nobel Laureate in Physics for work on scattering of light and Raman effect.

Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose, (1858 – 1937)

USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless-radio communication was Professor Jagdish Chandra Bose and not Guglielmo Marconi.

Satyendranath Bose, (1894-1974)

Indian Physicist, who solved one of the mysteries of quantum mechanics, showing that in the quantum world some particles are indistinguishable.  His collaborations with Albert Einstein led to a new branch on statistical mechanics know commonly known as the  “Einstein-Bose” statistics..

Srinivasa Ramanujam,(1887 – 1920):

Great Indian Mathematician, whose interest from academics at Trinity, College, Cambridge, led him to collaborate there and postulate and prove well over 3,542 theorems.

Subramanyan Chandrasekhar, (1910-1995):

1983 Nobel Laureate in Physics.  His many contributions to physics, on the structure and evolution of stars including rotational figures of equilibrium, stellar interiors, black holes, radiative transfer, hydromagnetic stability, stellar dynamics.

Har Gobind Khorana, (b-1922 ):

1968 -  Nobel Laureate in Medicine for work on interpretation of the genetic code .  Currently residing as professor at MIT.

Amartya Sen, (b-1933):

 1998 - The Nobel Prize for Economics for his redefining work on ethical welfare economics.  Currently residing as Lamont University Professor Emeritus at Harvard, after stepping down from the prestigious post of Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.

8 Things You Didn't Know About Toothpaste

Faced with dozens of different products promising to make your teeth fresher, whiter and cavity-free, it’s no wonder you wander aimlessly down the toothpaste aisle. To help you pick wisely, we turned to the pros for the scoop on what ingredients to look for, whether gel or paste formulas are right for you and just how much you need to squeeze onto your brush. It’s never too late to get your pearly whites in tip-top shape, so read on to find out how!
1. It’s all about the fluoride.
With a host of ingredients in toothpaste, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s essential. But no matter what your individual needs are (i.e., tartar control, whitening, breath-freshening and so on), dental hygienists agree that fluoride is a must. According to the Academy of GeneralDentistry, brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice daily can reduce tooth decay by as much as 40 percent. “Even in areas where there is water fluoridation, the added fluoride in toothpaste has been shown to be very beneficial,” says Caryn Loftis-Solie, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA).
2. Look for the seal of approval.
While it’s tempting to save some cash with a generic brand of toothpaste, you may actually be getting an ineffective—and potentially harmful—product. “You should always look for the ADA Seal when choosing a toothpaste,” says Clifford Whall, PhD, director of the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance Program. “Only those products have the scientific data to back up their claims and have been proven to meet our criteria for safety and effectiveness.” With 50-plus approved toothpastes on shelves, it’s easy to find a tube that’s right for you and your budget.
3. Whitening toothpastes work—at least to a certain degree.
Countless products promise a whiter smile, but do they really deliver? “Whitening toothpastes—like all toothpastes—contain mild abrasives to help remove surface stains on your teeth,” says Dr. Whall. “The shape of the particles used in whitening products, though, is modified to clean those stains away better, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in how your teeth look.” However, according to Dr. Whall, these products don’t contain bleach, making it impossible for them to brighten your smile as dramatically as professional whitening treatments.
4. Less is more.
Despite what you see on commercials, a brush full of toothpaste won’t clean your pearly whites any better than half that amount, according to E. Jane Crocker, RHD, president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association. “All you need is a pea-size amount of toothpaste—yes, I mean the little green vegetable!” Not only will that get the job done effectively (by cleaning and removing plaque, stains and food debris), you’ll also extend the life of your tube.
5. How you brush is more important than what you brush with.
You can buy the best toothpaste and toothbrush on the market, but if you aren’t brushing correctly you won’t see results. “To do it properly, you need to position the brush at a 45 degree angle so that you get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums,” says Dr. Whall. “Move the brush in small circles in those areas, and then continue on to the rest of the teeth. This process should take about one to two minutes to complete.” View the ADA’s step-by-step guide to brushing and flossing here.
6. Organic toothpastes can be just as effective as regular.
If you’re willing to spend a little more to go green, natural and organic toothpastes can be a good eco-friendly alternative to commercial brands—provided they contain fluoride. “Natural and organic toothpastes that include fluoride in their ingredients are as effective as regular toothpastes with fluoride,” says Crocker. You’ll also be avoiding artificial preservatives, sweeteners and dyes.
7. What’s inside your toothpaste might surprise you.
You may not recognize the names listed on the side of the tube, but ingredients like seaweed and detergent can be found in many fluoride toothpastes. According to the ADA, common thickening agents include seaweed colloids, mineral colloids and natural gums. And for that quintessential foaming action, most products rely on detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate—also found in many shampoos and body washes—that are deemed 100 percent safe and effective by the ADA.
8. Pastes or gels—they all do the trick.
You may have heard that one works better than the other but, according to the experts, they all clean teeth equally well. “Other than flavor, texture and how it makes a person feel, there aren’t any major differences among the various forms,” says Crocker. “I think it comes down to personal preference, which might come through trial and error. I encourage my patients to use whichever product encourages them to brush.”

The Best Back-to-School Laptops

Twenty years ago, bringing a computer to school meant something luggable at best. A decade ago, students faced a tradeoff: a computer they could tote to classes or a more capable, powerful machine for the dorm room. Now, by contrast, it's easy to find a powerful notebook for under $1,000. Too bad the price of tuition hasn't gone down.
The Best Back-to-School Laptops

Apple MacBook

MacBook

Price: $849 and up

Weight: 5 pounds

Thickness: 1.08 inches

Apple's entry-level notebook is a lot costlier than other companies' cheapest laptops--and it's also a whole lot more capable. You're never going to wonder if this machine is able to tackle the tasks a modern laptop is expected to handle, from editing multimedia clips to crunching numbers and putting together classroom presentations. If you can't decide on a laptop, get this one.

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MacBook Pro 15-inch

MacBook Pro 15-inch

Price: $1,529 and up

Weight: 5.6 pounds

Thickness: 0.95 inches

Apple has packed a burly Intel Core i5 processor, a powerful Nvidia graphics chip and a big honking battery into this machine's aluminum shell. The 15-inch display is gorgeous. If you must pay more than $1,500 for a machine that weighs more than 5 pounds, this is the way to go First Class.

Dell Inspiron 15

Dell Inspiron 15

Price: $379 and up

Weight: 5.6 pounds

Thickness: 1.02 to 1.48 inches

For a laptop with a full-sized keyboard and a 15.6-inch display, the price on this machine is very nice. Don't be afraid to load up on options. Add a respectable Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB of random-access memory and a beefy 500 GB hard drive, and this machine can still be had for just $599.

HP Pavilion dm4t

HP Pavilion dm4t

Price: $729.99 and up

Weight: 4.4 pounds

Hewlett-Packard offers a bewildering array of notebook options. It's hard to go wrong with the HP Pavilion dm4t, however. It's not HP's cheapest thin-and-light model, but it packs plenty of power and value into a machine that weighs 4.4 pounds and is less than an inch thick. Specify a model with Intel's 2.26 GHz Core i5-430M Dual Core processor, 4 GB of random access memory, a 500 GB hard drive and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5450 graphics card, and you'll still pay just $908.99.

Asus U30Jc

Asus U30Jc

Price: $849.99 and up

Weight: 4.8 pounds

Thickness: 1.2 inches

You'll pay more, both in money and weight, for a notebook that can play the latest videogames. This laptop, however, keeps the cost of putting some gaming action onto its 13-inch screen surprisingly low. Intel's Core i3-350M processor packs a decent amount of power into this relatively small machine. The real magic, however, is this machine can turn its Nvidia discrete graphics processor on for a bit of gaming and turn off the rest of the time, conserving battery life.

HP Mini 311

HP Mini 311 Netbook

Price: $359 and up

Weight: 3.26 pounds

Thickness: 1.2 inches

It's hard not to love netbooks. They're thin, they're light, they're cheap. The drawback: The cheaper options often lack real computing punch. The HP 311 offers a good deal more than you'll find on the cheapest netbooks. It packs a Nvidia Ion graphics chip along with Intel's Atom netbook processor, giving this notebook more oomph than a typical netbook. The 11.6-inch screen and bigger keyboard also makes this much more comfortable for regular use. This might be a good option for a student who is lugging a desktop computer to school with them, and wants something portable for the classroom.

Alienware m11x

Alienware m11x

Price: $799 and up

Weight: 4.4 pounds and up

Thickness: 1.29 inches

This machine packs a lot of power into a very portable device. The price for this 11-inch laptop is nice too. An Intel Core i5 CPU and zippy Nvidia graphics processor come standard. The biggest drawback? Do you really want your kid playing shoot-'em-up games during college lectures?